Shimla – Former CPS Neeraj Bharti, son of Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Chandra Kumar, has fallen victim to an online scam, losing ₹1 lakh in a fraudulent resort booking for a non-existent property in Goa.
According to Bharti’s complaint, he found details of a resort named “Cara Villa” on Google and made an advance payment of ₹1 lakh for the booking. However, it later came to light that no such resort exists in Goa. The money had been fraudulently collected by the scammer. Acting on his complaint, Shimla Police registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Indian Penal Code at the Chhota Shimla Police Station and initiated an investigation.
Cybercrime cases are on the rise in Himachal Pradesh, with authorities receiving 200 to 250 complaints daily. Criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to defraud residents, including fake promises of lottery winnings, gift packs, electricity bill alerts, money-doubling schemes, and pension scams.
In response, the cyber police have launched awareness campaigns at the block and panchayat levels, targeting schools and colleges to educate youth about online safety. Additionally, the state has introduced the NCRP portal for registering cybercrime complaints. Victims can report fraud by dialling the 1930 helpline, with cases being registered within 15 to 20 minutes to facilitate the prompt investigation.
